BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty continue their gaining streak for third consecutive day. Till 1.30pm, Nifty gained 17 points (trading at 8,242 points) and Sensex gained 56 points (trading at 27,428 points). Significant volatility was witnessed in the market, which was mainly due to the nearing equity derivative expiry date, which is on coming Wednesday. Investors are also watching closely the market reform agendas that are going to be tabled in the ongoing winter session, which is coming to an end this Tuesday.

22-Dec-2014Business

Reform push in Coal and Power Sector by Prabhu-led Advisory Board

Suresh Prabhu, Union Railway Minister, led advisory group has vouched for more reforms in the Coal sector for supplementing the extent of coal production done domestically by Coal India as well as other companies. This advisory panel has also suggested improvements in Coal India, Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Limited, and other CIL subsidiaries. The panel has vouched for PPP or privatisation of distribution sector for ensuring 24x7 power supply. The advisory group pushed for addition in thermal power capacity along with doing away with transmission constraints.

22-Dec-2014Business

Walmart to Open up Store in Agra

Walmart, one of the biggest supermarket chains of the USA, is all set to open its newest store in Agra. This store is going to come up in mid-2015 and will have wholesale outlet that will sell anything and everything, including groceries, electronic goods, and all kinds of apparels. Organisations, offices, and businesses can buy from this twenty first Walmart store in India. The move is seen as a major step, after it severed ties last year with Bharti Enterprises, its Indian partner.

22-Dec-2014Politics

MP makes Labour Reform to create better Labour Environment

Antar Singh Arya, Labour, Backward Classes and Welfare minister of Madhya Pradesh, informed the press that recently concluded MP assembly’s winter session has passed three important amendments on Labour Acts. The first change has been done in terms of minimum wages, which was hiked by up to 60 per cent in the state. Per the second amendment, wages of bidi workers has been increased from Rs. 78 to Rs. 92 per day. In the third labour act amendment, a new category has been added named ‘high-skilled class’.

22-Dec-2014Sports

Dhoni Zooms ahead of Pataudi in Record of Zeroes as Skipper

Indian cricket captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has surpassed yesteryear’s cricketing legend Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi’s 7-duck record in test match by an Indian cricket captain when he got out without making a single score on board in the recently concluded Brisbane test match where India lost the match by 6 wickets.

22-Dec-2014Science and Technology

Google all set to Open 'Permanent' Campus in Telangana

Google is all set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Telengana government for opening a ‘permanent’ campus in Hyderabad. Harpreet Singh, IT, Electronics and Communications Secretary of Telangana, has informed the press that this new campus will be the third campus to be build by Google, after its first two establishments in the USA and United Kingdom. Analysts feel this is a big move for Google because it currently operates from rental set-up.

22-Dec-2014Sports

Indian Cricket team's Batting Approach has Improved, says Indian Skipper

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has said that batting approach of Indian cricket team outside the country has improved in the last one year. Dhoni’s statement comes at a time when India lost their second consecutive test match against mighty Australia in the ongoing 4-match test series. He also stressed upon the need of Indian cricket team to play more matches in overseas locations for increasing experience of players.

22-Dec-2014Others

Praveen Togadia of VHP vouches for increasing Hindus in India

Praveen Togadia, senior leader of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, has said that all kinds of efforts will be made to increase the number of Hindus in India. However, he didn’t say a word on the controversial conversion issue. Togadia’s comment comes a day after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat asserted a 50,000-strong crowd in Kolkata that India is a ‘Hindu rashtra’ or Hindu nation. Togadia went on to say that his organisation wants to increase the percentage of Hindus from the current 82 per cent to 100 per cent.

22-Dec-2014Others

Counting of J&K and Jharkhand Assembly Polls Tomorrow

Jharkhand and Jammu & Kashmir gear up for counting of votes on Tuesday (23 December). Per election commission officials in both states, arrangement for counting of votes has already been done for all constituencies in Jharkhand (81 seats) and J&K (87 seats). In Jharkhand itself 4,000 personnel are deputed across 24 centres, where counting will take place. EC officials have reportedly said that counting will start at IST 8am sharp and the first trend is expected to show up in an hour after the start of counting.

22-Dec-2014Politics

RS Resolution on Mumbai Attack Mastermind's Bail by Pakistan Court

Rajya Sabha today adopted a resolution that condemned Pakistan court’s bail to Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, mastermind of Mumbai attack. It also asked neighbouring country to ensure punishment to all perpetrators of terror. Hamid Ansari, Chairman of Rajya Sabha expressed his great concern on the dilatory tactics adopted by Pakistan in prosecuting the Mumbai attack mastermind. A similar kind of resolution is also being adopted by lower house of the Parliament, Lok Sabha.

22-Dec-2014Politics

Religious Conversion Issue Halts Rajya Sabha again

Opposition parties once again pressed for debate on the issue of religious conversion today, leading to yet another row on the issue in the Rajya Sabha. P J Kurien, deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha, adjourned the house till 3pm. It all started today when Naresh Agarwal of Samajwadi Party submitted notice for debating on the conversion issue and suspend all other works. However, Arun Jaitley dismissed submission of notice by reasoning that the issue has already being raised in the RS once.

22-Dec-2014Politics

United Opposition Targets Modi Again on RSS Chief's Conversion Comment

Opposition in the Parliament attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the comment made by Mohan Bhagwat, RSS Chief, where the latter dared opposition political parties to support a law that protects people from religious conversions. Manish Tewari of INC has hit out at Prime Minister by saying that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh should not be given free hand in carrying out ‘Pakistanisation’ of India. However, RSS as well as Modi got support from Shiv Sena as they said that there is nothing wrong in ‘reverse conversion’.